Messerschmitt Me 321/323: The Luftwaffe's "Giants" in World War II (Schiffer Military History) - Hardcover

Dabrowski, Hans-Peter

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0764314424 ISBN 13: 9780764314421

Publisher: Schiffer Military History, 2001

Synopsis

The Luftwaffe's legendary Gigant (Giant) is covered in this large, detailed, and highly illustrated volume. Wherever the Messerschmitt Me 321 appeared at the front during World War II it produced tremendous astonishment. Most soldiers had never seen anything like it. The huge glider with a wingspan of fifty-five meters was towed by three Bf 110s, or a five-engined He 111Z. Such an aircraft could carry up to twenty-two metric tons of freight: fuel, ammunition, trucks, tanks, 100 fully equipped troops and more. Even the Me 323D version, powered by six radial engines, was capable of carrying thirteen metric tons of freight to the front - and was a juicy target for the enemy. In the Mediterranean theater, they were pitilessly chased from the air and bombed and strafed on the ground. Only one Transportgeschwader was equipped with the Me 323. Everything about the type was strictly secret - even the Gruppen equipped with the type knew little about each other.

About this title

About the Author:

Hans-Peter Dabrowski was born in Hanover on 10 August 1946. His father was a metal worker in a repair facility of the German State Railway, his mother was a housewife. His grandparents cane from Posen, therefore the Polish-sounding name. After school he trained as a type-setter, did his military service in the Luftwaffe, married in 1968 and after the birth of his daughter in 1969, moved to the newspaper business. He has remained active in that field to the present day as a production editor. Aviation fascinated him since childhood and he has attended virtually every International Air Display in Hanover. For many years scale modeling occupied his free time, with a special interest in German aviation from the period 1919-1945. In that relatively short time, the leap was made from biplane to jet aircraft. Researching his subjects soon surpassed modeling and became his main interest. From this developed idea of passing on this infomation in suitable form. Since 1986 he has published several articles in modeling and aviation publications, many of which have been translated by Schiffer Publishing.

About this edition

• Publisher: Schiffer Military History
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0764314424
• ISBN 13: 9780764314421
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 240